Egbert mackill



No. 623,798. Patented Apr. 25, |899. R. MAcKlLL.

EXTRACTING NICOTIN.

(Application filed July 27, 1897.)

(No Model.)

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PATENT unica.

GLASGOlV, SCOTLAND.

EXTRACTING NicorlN.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 623,7 98, dated April 25, 1899.

Application tiled July 27, 1897.

T0 @ZZ whom, t 71u07/ concern:

Beitknown thatI, ROBERT MACKILL,a subject of the Queen of Great Britain and Ireland, and a resident of Glasgow, Scotland, have invented Improvements in the Manufacture or Obtaining of Nicotin, of which the following is a specification.

Myinvention has for its object the economical production of nicotiu in a practically free state and separate from the acids and other impurities which accompanyit in tobacco and in the ordinary infusions, decoctions, or extracts of tobacco, and which injuriously interfere with its efficiency in the various applications that may be made of it. The impurities referred to consist of inactive and useless vegetable matters, such as ligneous fiber, albuminous bodies, gums, and coloring and extractive matters, together with citric and malic acids. Not only do the infusions, decoctions, or extracts contain a very few units per cent. of effective nicotin, but also the amount is variable in different samples or lots,and the strengths of compositions made therewith are extremely uncertain.

In carrying out my improved process I employ ordinary tobacco extract,which is merely a concentrated aqueous infusion of tobacco, containing only a few units per cent. of nicotin, and to this I add a strong solution ot' ca us! tic soda in order to liberate the nicotin from its state of chemical combination in the extract.. Then after agitating the mixture for some time I introduce a volatile hydrocarbon, such as gasolin, to dissolve the freenicotin, and I continue the agitation.

which solution, on allowing the mixture to settle, separates completely from the soda solution, which retains the other matters. The gasolin solution ot nicotin which rises to the top of the mixture is decanted into a separate vessel, in which it is subjected to distillation, and the gasolin-is thereby removed and may be condensed and'used over again. The nicotin is left in the still in a commercially-pure state and contains ninety'per cent. or upward of the alkaloid, any little remaining impurity being principally gasolin.

The apparatus employed may consist of a number of vessels of any suitable kind such The gasolin takes up and forms a solution of the nicotin,`

Serial No. 646,138. (No model.)

fitted with an agitator consisting of a rotati ing shaft having blades onit, in which vessel the tobacco extract is to be mixed with the caustic-soda sol ution, the subsequentmixture with gasolin also taking place in the same vessel; a vessel to receive the gasolin solution of nicotin and fitted with asteam-coil for distilling` the gasolin; a vessel provided with a condensing-coil and iilled with cold water for condensing the gasolin, and a vessel to receive the condensed gasolin. IVith the described arrangement of closed vessels connected by pipes any escape of gasolin-vapor into the building in which the apparatus is placed is prevented. Pipes extending to the outside of the building may be connected to the tops of any of the vessels,which will contain gasolin at one time and air at another, so that when the air is displaced by the admission of liquid such air with any gasolinvapor it may have taken up may escape innocuously. One such escape-pipe T is shown as extending up from the tank C; or if it is desired to avoid thesmall loss of gasolin taken up by the air used for transferring the liquids the escape-pipes instead of extending to the ou-tside of the building maybe arranged to lead the air to a gas-holder or other receiver, from which the air-compressing pump may draw its supply of air, the air thus cirlculating through the apparatus. y

Apparatus such as is employed in carrying out the invention is shown, by way of example, in sectional plan, Figure I, and sectional side elevation, Fig. 2, in the accompanying drawings.

The vessels comprise a stock-tank A for IOO 2 6mes tobacco extract, a stock-tank B for solution of caustic soda, a stock-tank C for gasolin, and a receiver D for colnpressed air, and which is connected with these tanks by valved pipes D D2 D3. Besides the stock-tanks the following vessels are required: A vessel E,which may be fitted with au agitator consisting of a rotating shaft having blades on it, which vessel is connected with the tanks A B C by pipes A, B', and C', and in which vessel E the tobacco extract is to be mixed with the caustic-soda sol ution,the subsequent mixture with gasolin also taking place in the same vessel. A pipe E' connects the vessel E with a vessel F, which receives the gasolin solution of nicotin and is fitted with a steam-coil G for distilling the gasolin, which passes over through a pipe F toa vessel H, provided with a condcnsing-coil .I and filled with cold water for condensing the gasolin, the condensed gasoliu passing through a pipe ll to a vessel K to receive the condensed gasolin; Compressed air is admitted from the receiver D through a pipe D4 to the vessel K and forces the gasolinback through a pipe K to the stock-tank C, and thus permits of its being used over again, as hereinbefore stated. The air is compressed in the receiver D by a pump L, connected to the receiver by a pipe Il, and the pump is driven by a belt M and pulleys N P from a shaft Q, deriving its motion from any convenient sou ree. The agitator in the vessel E is also driven from the same shaft Q by belts R S and pulleys, as shown.

l. The process for the manufacture or obtainndent of nicotin which consists, first, in agitating tobacco extract with a caustic-soda solution, second, in agitating the mixture of tobacco extract and caustic-soda solution with gasolin, third, in decanting the gasolin which contains the nicotin in solution from the remainder of the mixture, and, fourth, distilling the gasolin so as to separate it from, and

leave, l[he nicotin, substantially as herein set forth.

2. Apparatus for conducting the hereindescribed process, comprising a mixing vessel, as E, a series of closed vessels, as A, B, C, connected by valved pipes to the said Vessel E, a still connected with the mixing vessel, a condenser and a receiving vessel connected to the gasolin vessel, as C, and an air-compressor and valved connecting-pipes for admitting compressed air to the top of any vessel from which liquid has to be transferred, as and for the purpose described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

v ROBERT MACKILL.

Vitnesses:

WILLiAM IIAs'rIE, GEORGE PATTERSON. 

